Shoe-lace tip.



Patented 0013. 27, 1914.

I mom/m WITNESSES method of ma UNITE earns mwr FFTG.

CLYDE a. JEFFORD'S. or nEwYoRK, N. Y.

'SHOE-LACE TIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented other, 1914.

Application filed July 24, 1918. Serial No. 780,525.

To all whom it may] concern Be it known that'I, Quinn R. JnFFoRns, a citizen of theUnitedZStptes, and a res1-- dent of the city .of- New'York, Jamaica.

other lacings which is. of domparatively giimple and inexpensive construction, is, more rmly attached to the lacing than other ti s of vtheame class, and which has the 'a ditional uri'dtion of serving as-a fastening or attac ling device for the free end of. the lacing. :1

More specifically the object of the iinven-,

tion is the provision of a combined tip and fastener for la cings of that type which have only one end free and the other end an chored or attached to the shoe, the said combined tip and attaching device consisting of a piece of sheet metal which is applied to the lacing by being folded with the latter and by oiisetting an intermediate portion of the device by imparting a double bend thereto for the doublefpurpose of increasing the hold of the metal on the lac iug and for dividing the device into a bill or terminal portion, a grip or base portion and an intermediate shoulder. whereby the combined tip and fastener can be engaged with an eyelet of the shoe by inserting the bill into the eyelet to a position wlierethe bill lies parallel with and against the inner surface of the shoe vamp while the base or grip portion lies parallel with the outer surface of the shoe vamp, with the shoulder engaged with the eyelet so that a pull lon gitudinally on the lacing maintains the tip and attaching device firmly engaged with the eyelet without the necessity of tying the lacing into a bow, as is now necessary with the common long lacings in use.

For a more detailed understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing taken in connect-ion with the following description and appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference"tl'inracters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 designates a view of a shoe with the. improved lacing applied theretti; Fig.

2 is a perspective view of the terminal portions of the lacing, showing the combined tip and attaching devices at one end and the anchoring device or button at the opposite end; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the metal blank for making double tips and attaching devices; Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the lacing placed on the blank; Fig. 5 is a View showing the first bendin of the blank; Fig. 6 is a view 51 blank and lace folded longitudinally tooperation owing the H gether; Fig. 7 is a side view showing the oilsetting'of the folded blank; Fig. 8 is a similar view'showing the blank out in two to {form the combined tip and attaching de vie for two 'lacings; Fig. 9 is an enlarged secgional view of the combined tip and attac ing device; and Fig. 10 1s a sectional view of an eyelet, showing-the combined,

attaching device interlocked th ewith. eferring to the drawing, A designates a shoe having the usual eyelets l for receivingj the lacing B, which latter may be a woven or braided fabric, a strip of leather or the like. This lacing B is of such length as to be laced successively through the eyelets of the shoe 1 with one end fastened at thel'ower eyelet a and the other end fastened to the upper eyelet a; that is to say, the lacing has only one end free or detachable for the lacing and unlacing of the shoe. As shown in Fig. 2, the lower end of the lacing is provided with a or buts ten 2 which IS in the form of a d sk having an opening 3 through which the lacing passes, there being a serrated tongue 4 or equivalent device on the diskfor engaging the lacing and preventing slipping thereof. This attaching device 2 is concealed under the eyelet a and is too large to pass through the eyelet, so that the lower end of the lacing will be effectively fastened to the shoe. The combined attaching device and hp 5 is applied to the upper end of the lacing,

such device 5 being a piece of metalsuitably.

bent or folded on the lacing, and this fastoning or tip device 5 comprises a bill or terminal portion 6, a shoulder 7 anda baseor finger-hold portion 8. The bill portion cially a side of the' eyelet tion opposite from 6 and shoulder 7 are enga ed in the upper eyelet a of shoe, the bill (3 lying under the eyelet, theoulder 7 extending through the eyelet and th base portion 8 lying outnd projecting in a. directhe'bill. By this means the longitudinal strain on the upper portion maintain the tip and atfirmly engaged with the eyelet a. The-authoring device 2 at the lower end of thelacing is of course prop adjusted when-the lacing is applied'to that'the lacing throiwhout its 'tlieislioe, so

be under the required tension length will when thetipand attaching device 5 is engaged in the eyelet a.

In Fig. 10 the maner of engaging the -eyelet a is clearly shown, and to disengageflthe device 5 the 'handle or grip portion 8 thereof is raised so as to bring the bill portion 6 in such a. position as to easily slip out of theeyelet.

The manner of applyingthe combined tip and att'ach'ng device to ajlacing, espebraided lacing isgclearly shown in. Figs. 3 to 8 inclusive. X'brass or other sheet metal blank .10is employed, of such length as to make two tips and attaching devices 5 and of such width as to be folded or doubled twice. The blank 10 is in the course of application to the lacing folded" on the longitudinal lines i1, 12 and 1 3, Fig. 3. A strip of lacing braidl l is placed on the blank as shown in Fig. 4.- and marginal portions 15 and 16 of the blank are turned upwardly on the lines 11 and 13 and lapped over the lacing braid or strip ll, as shown in Fig. 5. The next step is to double the blank again,approximately on the line 12, whereby the lacing braid 14 is also doubled. By this doubling the metal piece and lacing braid are tightly clamped togetherand a stiff tip will result when the metal is cut transversely at the center, so as to form tips for two laces. Before, however, the folded metal piece is cut the central portion is offset as shown in Fig. 7, andhat the same time or as a succeeding step the metali-piece is cut in two, as shown in Fig. 8. In the offsetting operation shown in Fig. 7 the folded metal piece is more tightly clamped to the can be provided with a series of indentations 17, Fig. 9, whichindentations bite into the lacing fabric.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the process of applying the tips and attaching devices to the lacing braid from which the lacings are made is easily and inexpensively accomplished, and in the, process of forming the tip device for service as attaching means the metallic piece constituting the tip is more firmly anchored to the fabric than would be the case if the. tip were straight instead of being offset or provided with the eye-engaging shoulder.

Having thus described my invention, claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

'1. A. lacing provided with a hollow inetallic device forming a tip and attaching device, said device being provided with a double bend intermediate its ends to clamp the device to the lacing and to form a base and a bill connected by a'. shoulder, said bill and base extending in opposite directions from the shoulder.

2. A lacing provided with combined tip and attaching device consisting of a plate folded around the lacing and offset interl mediate its ends to form a shoulder, and a hill extending in one direction from the shoulder, and a base extending in the oppol site direction.

i 3. A lacing provided with a combined tip 1 and attaching device, said device consisting of a plate having its edges lapped over the l lacing and centrally doubled longitudinally l with the lacing and offset intermediate its 1 length to form a shoulder, and a bill and base extending in opposite directions from g the shoulder.

1' In testimony whereof I have signed my l name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLYDE RQJEFFORDS. v

Witnesses:

CHATTEN BiiADWAY, PHILiP D. ROLLHAUS. 

